Demolition Robots Help Destroy Building

Robots suspended from cranes will be used to demolish the structure of one of Madrid's tallest buildings. The building was damaged by fire; the ruined structure is too dangerous to be handled by human workers.

The 32 story Windsor building, the city's eighth tallest tower, stands above four underground train lines, a major road and a department store. An alternative plan, in which the building would be taken down by explosives after the road tunnels beneath it had been filled with sand, was deemed too risky.

Robots hanging from cranes will cut up the concrete and steel structure, with giant neoprene sheets in place to catch falling debris.

(Will Smith flees demolition bot in I, Robot)

No such precautions were taken in the above scene from I, Robot. A giant demolition robot stomped and smashed its way through the house while Will Smith (and a cat) were still inside. I, Robot is, of course, based on the works of Isaac Asimov.

Real-world demolition robots don't stride Transformer-like through construction sites. However, bots like the Brokk 330 (see below) have been used around the world in hazardous sites, like the recent decommissioning of Brookhaven National Laboratory's old underground graphite reactor. And the demolition robot's stats - 4200 kilograms, thick tank-like treads, sturdy stabilizing feet, and the capacity to handle tools weighing up to 550 kilograms - make it the right tool for the job on hazardous sites.